Dude!

Today I took Claire to get some new shoes. I had her try on these really cute converse type shoes. They were brown with pink stitching and pink plaid material on the inside. She was walking around and I told her they looked so cute on. I asked her if she liked them. After thinking for a brief moment, her reply was: "No. People might call me dude in them." LOL So, she picked out some other pink and brown ones. Guess she doesn't care for the converse look or to be called "dude".

Middle School Talk

On the way to school this morning, Nathan and his friends were quite talkative. Here's some of the conversation. (I'm not sure I got all the names right of who said what.)
Nate: "How come we all got haircuts?"
"And how come we all wear our hair the same way?"
Josh: "Well, I've been wearing my hair this same way forever."
Nate: "Since you were a little egg?"
Christian: "Or in heaven?"
Josh: "I don't think you had to comb your hair in heaven. I think it just automatically goes the way you want it."
Nate: "I don't think you'd ever have a bad hair day in heaven."

Later.....

Josh: "Do you know why nerds are all smart?"
Boys: "No, why?"
Josh: "Because most of them have allergies so have to stay inside so they just play video games and study and stuff."
Christian: "So you're a nerd?"
Josh: "No, I spend a lot of time outside."
Nathan: "And we all play video games."


Then Josh was being annoying so he said he would only talk when someone else talked. Then the silence game began. After a few minutes of total silence Josh hurried and rolled down the window and said "Ugh! I need some fresh air!" and stuck his head out. I guess the silence was suffocating him. LOL

When they all get out of the car and get their percussion sets out of the trunk I call them "band geeks." They're all so cute. :-)

Economics 101

Just been wondering lately how the economy is affecting everyone around me. It sure has affected me and my family- especially with Spence's line of work- being in the mortgage industry. Times are tough and things are tight. This has been a trial for me. I have had to penny pinch before from being a single parent so it's not an entire new ballgame for me, but it doesn't make it any easier. With gas and food prices high it doesn't help. It seems like every time you turn around someone needs money for something. I have been catering more so that has definitely been a blessing to help pay for the little things. Has anyone else been affected by the economy? What are you doing to survive?

In my patriarchal blessing it tells me that my material/temporal needs will be met. So that leads me to think that maybe this is a trial I have to go through so that when I do have lots of money that it will make me appreciate it more so that I don't go and blow all of it on needless things. :-) Or maybe it's a way of telling me that I need to lower my temporal needs. LOL

Another Death

Well, we just received word that Uncle Bert (see last post) died today on the golf course of a massive heart attack. Ugh! He looked perfectly fine two weeks ago! He golfed almost every day. At least he died doing something that he loved. I'm going to make Spence get his heart checked. That's 3 people from his biological family that haved died of heart attacks. Scary!

Spence's Birth Mom

I know most of you know that Spence's birthmom, Debbie, passed away 2 weeks ago- August 25th. She found him when he was about 21 years old. They have kept in touch since and had multiple visits. She has been in our lives since we married and she loved her grandkids. Spence was her only child. I tried to include her as much as I could in our lives by sending photos and home videos. It was mostly a friendship relationship. She definitely spoiled me and my kids! I will miss going to the mailbox and finding boxes from QVC in there. (Her ultimate favorite place to shop.) And I'm sure my kids will miss her a lot this Christmas. :-)

Spence and I went out to San Fransisco for the funeral. We hung out with Spence's "other" family. Debbie had a twin sister and one brother. It was fun to get to know them and their families better. The family is Jewish so the funeral was a new experience for me. So different from the Mormon funerals! It was just held at the cemetery- only about 30 people there. The Rabbi said a few things from Psalms and some Jewish prayers. Then at the gravesite everyone says a Jewish Kaddish prayer. They put the casket in the ground and everyone takes a shovel of dirt and throws it on the casket. So strange- it made me feel like we were disgracing her or something.

It is Jewish tradition to light a candle and keep it lit for 7 days to remember the person who passed away. We lit this with the kids and put the Kaddish prayer translation next to it in honor of Debbie. And guess what- my house is still standing after the entire week of having it lit! Then on the anniversaries of a death you light a candle of rememberance also.

Whenever we return home from seeing Debbie or her family Spence always gives his mom a big hug and thanks her for adopting him. He would have turned out soooo different if Debbie would have made the decision not to give him up for adoption. I am also so thankful for her decision so that I would have the opportunity to have him in my life. I am grateful for the Lord's tender mercies and how things work out and are meant to be.

Spence and his cousin, Nina, who lives in Idaho

Spence and his great Uncle Bert. He was the first one that Spence met from the family.

Some of the family- Debbie's twin is far left, and brother is far right

This is a photo I found in Debbie's wallet. I think it was when Spence and her first met- so about 25 years ago.

Long Time No Post!

I haven't spent much time in the blogging world lately. Been trying to get back into the school schedule and try to get my kids in a bedtime routine. So frustrating! I kick myself every night for not doing it when they were little.

Nathan seems to be liking 7th grade so far. He has a lot of classes with his neighborhood friends. I am in a morning car pool with other moms in the neighborhood. The first week of school I drove the boys there. I watched all four of them walking into the school with their backpacks hanging off of them and their long plaid shorts and T-shirts. I smiled to myself and thought that they all looked so cute and grown up. I was so proud of them and what good kids they all are. Then I turned my head and saw some of the girls walking in. Ay ay ay! I'm sure they were 9th graders. Dressed to kill- bright blonde hair- make up- the works. I just panicked and thought "Oh no! Stay away from our boys!" I am definitely not ready to deal with the aggressive girls now days....

First day of school as a 7th Grader!

Logan has been the one I was most worried about starting 1st grade. He is a night owl and sleeps in late. Of course I procrastinated until two days before school started getting him used to going to bed early and getting up early. He also doesn't like to eat breakfast so I try to shove food in him on the drive to school. He seems to be doing good though and likes his teacher. We received a note home that he is receiving extra help with his reading because he's a little below his grade level. This has been a challenge for me. First of all I feel guilty because I haven't spent any time with him. His attention span is not great and he doesn't find learning too exciting. He is going to be the child that I have to work with and spend more time with doing homework. I've never had to work with Nathan so this is a new challenge for me. I have a feeling it's going to be a trying one!

Excited First Grader!

Claire started her second year of preschool. I didn't take pictures of her on her first day. Forgot! She seems to like her teacher and was excited to have Macy in her class. Haven't been many problems with them fighting yet except for the occasional fight over which car seat they get to sit in when I pick them up. I hope they don't do that in class. :-)

I am glad to be back in a routine but find there aren't enough hours in the day. I find myself enjoying the few hours I have to myself and don't want to spend them cleaning. Then once the kids get home the chaos begins. By the time they are in bed all I want to do is hit the sack too!